This past Chinese new year (I know, another late post…) my family and I went down to Ipoh and ate at Kedai Kopi Kong Heng on Jalan Sultan Yusuf in Ipoh for some good Ipoh hor fun.
My dad is from Ipoh and since I was a kid I’d make a trip down there for their hor fun at least once a year (each time I was back from Dubai) and we’d always go to the same shop to eat.
OK truthfully we were actually looking for the shop next door (Restoran Thean Chun I think it’s called) but it was closed and we were hungry… so we went to their next door neighbour to see how their food compared.
First thing on the menu was a plate of fruit rojak. I thought it looked a bit strange because there was no sauce on it, but then I noticed that they gave a little bowl of sauce on the side.
Before I could tip the whole sauce over the fruit, my relatives started dipping the fruit bits into the bowl. That’s how it’s eaten in Ipoh and I must admit it’s a good way to do it because it keeps the fruits and crunchy fried bits dry and not soggy because of the sauce.
Next was the squid legs rojak in a peanut sauce. I’ve eaten similar in KL before but the peanut sauce did taste a little bit fresher.
When this bowl came I thought, yum beef ball soup! But actually it was beef ball soup with beef tendon balls… an acquired taste due to the very soft and chewy texture but it was definitely a nice change. The broth had a strong beefy taste probably due to a gigantic stock pot in the kitchen cooking away all day.
The lobak was nice and crispy on the outside and by this time I was getting quite full due to all we had ordered. But there was yet more to come.
The popiah was fantastic. It was slightly larger than normal popiah you get in KL and had some nice crunchy bits on the inside. The soft vegetable filling with the savoury crunchy bits was a great combination. The sauce added a slightly sweet flavour and the chili a little kick.
At first taste, the bowl of Ipoh hor fun was already alot better than any of the kuey teow soup I’ve ever ordered in KL. I think it has something to do with the water in Ipoh (it comes from the limestone mountains or something… or maybe it’s just made with more love?) and it made the soup have a really fragrant, almost sweet taste.
The kuey teow itself was softer and tastier than what I’m used to and tasted almost home made.
We ordered some bean sprouts to round up the meal and added into our soups for some much needed fibre.
All in all a good start to our short trip to Ipoh… but there was much more where that came from, will post about it at a future date.
Kedai Kopi Kong Heng
Jalan Sultan Yusuf,
30000 Ipoh, Perak
Cuisine: Chinese (Ipoh hor fun)
Non Halal
backStreetGluttons, 2 years ago
This might just be the most famous coffee shop for outstation selective eating kakis !
We have yet to try the popiah !
yes , soon… soon we must !
Alan, 2 years ago
u will get the ultimate Ipoh Old town kopitiam experience when both shops are open, so u wont miss out the CCF, the actual chicken kuay teow soup, the satay babi from Tin Chun. the popiahs, kangkung belacan and chicken rice are from Kong hing… gd thing bout these 2 restaurants.. u can actually order from either shop, and they will bring it over…
ipoh white coffee, nt this two shops. their drinks are mediocre… gd white coffee, go down the road to Sun Yin loong/Nam Chau/ Nam Heong/Ah Chau…
William, 2 years ago
Hi backstreet gluttons and Alan,
Yeah that’s what alot of people say, one of the best places, if not THE best place to eat kuey teow in the whole of Ipoh. And I love the fact that you can order all the smaller dishes from either shop and they’ll bring it over…
I even read online somewhere that both shops are owned by the same person, but I really do think the kuey teow at Then Chun is better, will post about that at a later date…
Could just be a family personal preference? who knows? food is subjective after all… the best way to find out is go there and try both out!
Thx for dropping by. =)
Alexis, 2 years ago
i gotta say u’re right bout that! cooking with love or more love like you mentioned definitely gives the dish that inexplicable omph to it besides the “sau sai” and the “fire control”
William, 2 years ago
Alexis: yup, sometimes it’s more ‘who’ makes the meal than ‘how’…
Vince, 2 years ago
OMG!!! i miss that place so much man.. wonder if i can get any nice ipoh hor fun in australia.. doubt it..
William, 2 years ago
I don’t think they’ll have this style of food there… might not appeal to the aussy pallette.
Maybe when I have enough money I can open up a good malaysian food outlet in Melbourne.
For those who miss ‘home’.